Teachers flock to innovation Fund

The high number of applications for the government’s new $10 million teacher-led Innovation Fund shows the enthusiasm that exists for developing and sharing innovative ideas following a long drought of professional development funding, the NZEI believes.

More than 200 applications have been made for the first $2m round of the fund, which is the one part of the government’s Investing in Educational Success scheme that primary teachers and principals are excited about.

NZEI Te Riu Roa past president Judith Nowotarski said there was a real hunger for flexible professional development and support for teachers, especially since National Standards was introduced in 2010.

Since then, most professional development funding has been funnelled into training teachers how to assess students under National Standards.

“Teachers want to build on and share innovative ideas for the benefit of their students, and this initiative offers the funding and flexibility that we need to do that,” Ms Nowotarski said.